Glorious sunshine tipped for Christmas
Perth is in for a cracker of a Christmas, with ideal weather forecast this week.
Today marks the longest day of the year in the southern hemisphere, giving beachgoers, waterskiers and picnickers plenty of time to make the most of the glorious sunshine.
The summer solstice will see the sun rise at 5.07am and set at 7.22pm, providing more than 14 hours of sunlight.
The Weather Bureau has forecast bright and sunny conditions for this week, with temperatures expected to reach a maximum of 29C today, 31C tomorrow and 32C on Christmas Eve.
A maximum of 32C is forecast for Christmas Day and 33C on Boxing Day.
Kyle McCarthy made the most of the sun yesterday by celebrating his 15th birthday on the Swan River with friends and family.
"It's been absolutely awesome. The weather is just beautiful," Kyle's dad Bruce McCarthy said.
Summer got off to a mild start this year but well and truly arrived on the first day of the school holidays, with 38.6C on Friday. Shoppers also hit stores in force from late last week after a quiet start to what is traditionally the busiest retail period of the year.
Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said the association had forecast sales of $5.2 billion would be made in WA in the lead-up to Christmas and that retailers were on track to get there.
